To Find a Haven in a Hell
by xtheGoldenEaglex
Summary: AU. 1920s America. Mystic Falls seems like the perfect home on the outside, but in the inside, it's a place filled with danger, racism and forbidden love. Klaus Mikaelson is a business man with a sketchy side-job, Kol's made a scandal by being in love with Bonnie, Elijah's wife is having an affair with Damon who's married to his sister and Hayley is about to blow. Multi-pairings.
1. Depths of Hope

_**Author's Note:** Sexual content at the end of this chapter. There's a warning before it begins. There is also a longer author's note at the end of this chapter and a list of the pairings. I'm sorry if it seems confusing, but bare with me. Hope you like it!_

**Summary:** _Set in the 1920s in America. Mystic Falls seems like the perfect home on the outside, but in the inside, it's a place filled with intrigue, danger, racism and forbidden love. Klaus Mikaelson is a business man with a sketchy side-job, Kol's made a scandal by being in love with Bonnie, Elijah's wife is having an affair with Damon who's married to his sister and Hayley about to blow. Multi-pairing._

**Depths of Hope**  
**The Mikaelson's**

The piercing sounds of the shattering vase filled the dining room. Hayley was having one of her fits again. He didn't love his wife, but he cared about her in some odd way.

Her paranoia was, perhaps, her most annoying quirk. She continually accused him of having an affair and, while she was correct, it only served to rile him up.

"Who is she?" Hayley said, her voice threateningly low.. When she didn't recieve an answer, her tone loudened. "Who _is _she?!"

"It is none of your concern, love," Klaus deadpanned, refusing to look from his newspaper. "As it does not affect your life or our daughter's life."

Hayley's right eye twitched. It was a fascinating habit of hers. Whenever she was angered, a part of her body - be it a limb or a source of sense, such as an eye or a nose - twitched or moved sharply. Unlike most society ladies, she was horrible at hiding her emotions. Klaus could always tell whenever she was about to burst.

"_None of my business?_" she repeated, horrified that he would _dare _say such a thing. "Oh, so it's none of my business that you come home every Friday night smelling of _skank_?"

Klaus smirked, but used his newspaper to hide his lips. He quite liked the smell of her perfume, it seemed the aroma of his lover's sweet scent did not satisfy Hayley as it satisfied him.

She noticed his smirk and clenched her fists until they were white. Klaus looked up from his paper for the first time that night and regretfully saw tears in Hayley's eyes. He never thought of her as the type of woman to cry. She usually preferred yelling as her outlet of emotions.

"The only thing I know about this woman, the _source _of my anguish for the past three months, is that she has mane of curly, blonde hair and a child-like moan," Hayley said, close to tears. "And that you love her. _You_ \- the great Klaus Mikaelson - love her enough to risk breaking this family apart for her."

It was true. Klaus did love his mistress, even though many said he was incapable of love. He was often merciless, cruel and sadistic towards his business opponents and enemies, but when it came to this one woman, he was the most gentle man on earth.

He seduced her with gifts and poems until she finally agreed to be his lover. She was stubborn, but he eventually won her over.

Silence fell upon the two of them. Klaus felt guilty for putting Hayley through such trauma, a rare emotion for someone like him. It felt quite... strange to care about hurting someone when so frequently it was his aim.

"Caroline."

Hayley furrowed her eyebrows and snapped her head towards him. "What?"

"Her name is Caroline."

* * *

Klaus wasn't sure if he had helped Hayley by telling her the name of his mistress. Of course, it didn't matter to him, but somehow he felt a twinge of guilt beneath his stone cold exterior. She was the mother of his child, Hope, who was the most important person in Klaus' life, even more important than Caroline.

His blonde lover wrapped her arms around his naked torso, her breasts pressed against his chest. Her head glimmered with sweat from their previous activities, but her blonde hair was as voluminous as ever.

She moaned in content. "I wish we could stay like this forever."

Sighing, Klaus responded. "As do I, Caroline. As do I."

Caroline sat up and stared at Klaus. "We could, you know," she argued. "You could leave Hayley and..."

"Sh-Sh," he silenced, caressing her cheek. "We've talked about this before. I can't leave Hayley."

Sadness shone in Caroline's eyes. "_Why_? Why can't you?"

"Because then I would anger the Labonair's, who are very important business partners," Klaus replied. As well as that, he couldn't leave his daughter behind.

Caroline scoffed and jumped out of bed. Klaus watched her carefully as she put on her clothes, anger evidently pulsing through her veins.

"It's always _something_," Caroline remarked bitterly. "Of course your business comes first! How could I have expected anything else from you?"

He frowned. "Calm down, Caroline." It seemed the entirety of his existance was spent calming down women.

After she wrapped her shawl around her shoulders, she spun around. "You told me you loved me," she said. "Was that a lie?"

No, it wasn't, but Klaus didn't want to grovel.

Fuming and offended, she raced out of Klaus' house.

* * *

Hayley thought that when Klaus told her the name of his mistress, it would feel much more... _enlightening_. She thought that it would give her some closure, but it did not. The name 'Caroline' made her more paranoid than ever.

She wasn't apart of the Mystic Falls gossip circle. She hailed from New Orleans, a big city in Louisiana. The ladies didn't gossip, they were their husband's business partners. Klaus treated her like some sort of disposable doll.

The only reason they got married was because the Labonair Law Firm was almost bankrupt. Klaus Mikaelson was the richest man in the south of North America, and he was looking for a wife. Hayley never expected things to turn sour.

At least she had her daughter. Hope looked like her mother in every way save for her sparkling, blue eyes than glimmered with mischief. _Just like her father, _Hayley thought. She hoped that her daughter wouldn't grow up to be like Klaus; manipulative, sociopathic, selfish, _murderous_.

_God knows what he does outside this house._

She had suspected Klaus ever since they wed. It seemed odd that a man who came from a poor background could become so wealthy in only a couple of years. He had a temper too. One minute he could fine and then... _BAM! _He'd be yelling at the most innocent person in the room.

There was only one person safe from his temper.

_Hope._

Hayley doubted that ever his harlot was safe from his roar.

"Miss Hayley?"

She looked up from her child, who was cooing in her arms. Elijah Mikaelson, Klaus' brother and business partner, stood in the threshold, looking aristocratic as usual. He was a very formal man, choosing to wear full, formal attire on the most normal of days. Elijah was a gentleman to boot, in every way possible. He treated ladies with the proper courtesy, he had never cheated on his wife - the dubious Katherine Pierce - and he had a habit of addressing everyone who wasn't a family member as 'Miss', 'Mister', 'Sir' or 'Ma'am.' For a lawyer, he was very moral.

Hayley stood and gently placed Hope in her cot. "Mr. Elijah?" she responded. "How can I help you?"

"Have you seen Klaus?" he asked. "I have some urgent business to attend to with him."

She shook her head. _'He's off playing with a whore,' _she felt tempted to reply with, but stopped herself at the last moment.

"No, I haven't," she said. "He went out about two hours ago and I haven't seen him since. Why?"

Had Klaus pulled Elijah into his scheming?

He smiled at her. "Nothing for you to worry about, Miss Hayley," he said. His eyes landed on Hope in her crib and his smile widened. "Children are such magical beings, aren't they? Innocence and ignorance; two things we take for granted in our youth."

Hayley smiled back at him. "Are you and Katherine thinking of having any children?"

Elijah shook his head. Hayley detected regret and sadness in his motions. "She does not desire children as I do."

"Oh," was all she said.

She couldn't understand how someone could not want a child; a companion for life, a being to cherish. Hope was the only thing keeping Hayley going, how could Katherine not desire a child?

Klaus entered the nursery. There was red lipstick on his shirt collar, his hair was disheveled and he smelt of cheap perfume. The look on Elijah's face told her that he too knew of Klaus' previous whereabouts.

Elijah coughed, breaking the awkward silence. "I have news."

The younger Mikaelson furrowed his eyebrows. "About what?"

His voice became a whisper, but Hayley still heard him utter, "_Finn_."

Klaus' expression lit with realisation. He led Elijah out of the nursery and into the living room. Hayley would have given anything to hear what they were saying.

* * *

_***Sexual Content**_

Katherine groaned with pleasure as Damon thrust himself inside of her. She raked her nails along his back while her back arched. She grinded her hips into his, sinfully enjoying the feel of his manhood inside of her.

She hooked her legs around his torso before pushing him onto the bed by his neck and straddling him. Damon liked it rough, just like she did. Although, Elijah was a gentle and effective lover, but he was nothing like Damon.

Damon grunted as she rode him. He grabbed her hips, quickening the motion. Klaus and Elijah would murder him for cheating on their sister with Elijah's wife, but that didn't matter. Rebekah was nothing like Katherine. He _loved _Katherine, Rebekah was only a means to gain wealth and power.

Katherine met Damon's lips with a rough kiss. She bit down on his lip, drawing blood. The elder Salvatore groaned with pleasure. It seemed to him that there was nothing Katherine did that wouldn't please him.

The pace of Katherine's hip quickened and she began pounding. She threw her head back, her eyes rolling into her head. Her breasts bounced on her chest as she brushed all of her brown hair over to her left shoulder.

Ripples of pleasure erupted inside of Katherine. She became breathless, her vision was black and was overcome by uncontainable bliss. Elijah never made her so aroused.

_***Sexual content finished**_

Minutes later, Katherine dismounted Damon and picked up her clothes. Damon stood, in all his naked glory.

"Going so soon?" he said, trying not to sound needy.

She pulled up her panties. "Yes," she replied. "Elijah'll be home soon and he'll expect something if I'm not there."

"Why do you stay with him?" Damon asked. "You're obviously not happy with him-"

"I am happy," Katherine argued. "Very happy. He loves me, and I love him. We're just having a disagreement."

Damon scoffed. "And I'm the person you run to whenever there's a problem in your perfect relationship."

She cupped his face in her hands. "Damon, I love you," she lied, but Katherine knew how easy it was to manipulate him. "I just love Elijah that bit more."

Katherine pressed her lips to his. She was magical with her mouth, Damon thought. She did this thing where she sucked on his lower lip. Rebekah tried it, but she never succeeded in arousing him like Katherine could.

She broke away from the kiss and pressed her forehead against his.

"You're a confusing, devilish woman, you know that?" he purred.

Katherine smirked. "I know."

* * *

_**Author's Note: **__What did you think? Should I continue it?_

_I realise that all of the pairings might become confusing, so I've laid out a basic list at the end of this author's note. This doesn't mean that your favourite pairing aren't going to happen, or that these pairings are set in stone; anything can happen. _

_Any suggestions? The next chapter might not come out for a while. I want to listen to your suggestions first before I make any decisions. So, follow, favourite and review!_

_**Pairings:**_

_Klaus Mikaelson and Hayley Marshall (Hayley Labonair in this story)_  
_Klaus Mikaelson and Caroline Forbes_  
_Elijah Mikaelson and Katherine Pierce_  
_Elijah Mikaelson and Hayley Labonair (still not sure on this one, so tell me what you think)_  
_Finn Mikaelson and Sage Crosby (I made up her surname)_  
_Kol Mikaelson and Bonnie Bennett _  
_Rebekah Mikaelson and Damon Salvatore_  
_Stefan Salvatore and Elena Gilbert_  
_Damon Salvatore and Elena Gilbert (possibility, still not sure)_  
_Damon Salvatore and Katherine Pierce_  
_Jeremy Gilbert and Annabelle 'Anna' Wilson (I made up the surname)_  
_Jenna Sommers and Alaric Saltzman_  
_Caroline Forbes and Enzo (later, possibly)_  
_Tyler Lockwood and Olivia 'Liv' Parker (possibly)_

_There are a lot of pairings, but not all of them will be happening immediately. Kennett will be more complicated than it would have been on the show considering that it's the 1920's and since Bonnie is an African-American, a relationship with Kol wouldn't be as accepted as it would have been in the 21st century._


	2. The Secret of Success

**The Secret of Success**  
**The Gilbert's**

Katherine loved music; music and dancing were her two favourite activities. Elijah would play piano and she would sing whatever tune he was playing. He said that her voice was the sweetest sound in the world, sweeter then even a bird's song. Elijah was quite the romantic, despite popular belief. He could be rather mushy when he wanted to be.

She was originally interested in Klaus when she was just a girl. He was dreamy. Katherine loved the bad boys, until she found out that was, quite possibly, a murderer. He was ruthless. All that Klaus Mikaelson cared about was his wealth, control, his mistress and quite possibly his daughter.

Her mother had been pressuring her into marrying. Katherine's perfect cousin, Elena, had already married Stefan Salvatore – who was incredibly handsome and simply _perfect__ – _and Mrs. Pierce didn't want her sister, Miranda, mocking Katherine's spinster status. So, she began courting Elijah Mikaelson, a wealthy lawyer from a new money family. Her parents wholly approved of Elijah, the only problem was that he was from new money.

Despite being from an 'old money' family, Katherine had never understood the apparently important difference between old money and new money. She knew that new money was a person who hadn't been born rich, who didn't come from an aristocratic background, but who worked his or her way up to aristocracy and wealth.

Katherine's father described old money as a person who had rich grandparents, and thus, both Katherine and her parents were old money. Elijah, however, was not.

"Come _on_," Katherine exclaimed, throwing her arms around madly. "I know you can play better than that, Emily!"

Emily was Katherine's African-American maid. She was an obedient and kind woman, who was simply superb on the piano. She bowed her head in shame. "Yes, ma'am."

She played a cheerful tune on the piano. Katherine grinned and danced to the music, twirling and bouncing and rocking her hips. If she was in public, people would think she was a harlot - even Elijah would - but that mattered not in the privacy of her home.

The olive-skinned brunette gulped down a mouthful of wine. Life was supposed to be fun! Life was supposed to be _free_! And for those reasons, Katherine concluded that she did not want any children. Elijah did though, which had strained their relationship considerably.

She knew that Elijah would forgive her eventually. He would come home with a bouquet of roses, kiss her on the cheek and beg for her forgiveness. Katherine, being the kind woman that she was, would forgive him.

It was the way their arguments always went, but until Elijah did apologise, she was forced to look elsewhere for entertainment.

Her choice usually landed on Damon Salvatore.

Damon was handsome. Not as handsome as Elijah, but somewhere close. He was a good lover, thanks to Katherine's tutelage. But if Katherine could have her choice of men, she would choose the glorious Stefan Salvatore, with his emerald eyes and his sandy, blonde hair. Too bad Elena married him first.

That was the horrible thing about Stefan - he would never hurt Elena. She was the apple of his eye, the most important person in his life. He thought she was the epitome of innocence, of perfection.

Katherine could see right through her perfect girl facade, she always could. Elena was sneaky, pragmatic and surprisingly intelligent. They hadn't always been enemies. It was only when Elena became the daughter her parent's desired that Katherine began to resent her. Perhaps it was envy, or rage, but all that Katherine knew was that Elena wasn't to be trusted.

She heard the front door slam closed and footsteps approaching. She signaled for Emily to tidy the room. Elijah didn't like it when she was drunk. He worried for her. He worried _too much_.

"Elijah," she greeted. She wasn't sure if he was still mad at her. "How was work?"

He looked stressed as he ran his fingers through his hair. He walked over to the cabinet where they kept some of their alcohol. Katherine's jaw fell. Elijah _never _drank beer, only wine. Her husband was classy. But his strict persona was forgotten as he popped open a bottle of fine beer.

"That bad," she noted with a small laugh. "You know you can talk to me."

Elijah downed the contents of his glass in one gulp. He undid his tie. Katherine was strangely aroused by this wild Elijah. She lounged across the couch, watching him as he unbuttoned his shirt.

"Finn found something quite dangerous about us," Elijah told her.

"What is it?" Katherine asked. She noticed Elijah's reluctance to tell her. "Come on, Elijah. You have to tell me. I'm your wife, I care about you. More than I let on."

He sighed heavily and sat on the chair in front of the couch. "What I am about to tell you must not be repeated to _anyone_. Do you understand?" Katherine nodded vehemently. "A few years ago, our business was failing. Our father had just died and I neglected the business, leaving it in the incapable hands of Klaus and Kol. I realised my mistake when I read the letter from the bank. I sought to bring our business back to the glory it achieved when my father was alive. He bought ships and buses and planes and made the Mikaelson name known, and it was falling into ruin only months after his death."

"You should have never trusted Klaus or Kol," Katherine said. "They're rash idiots."

"Exactly," Elijah agreed, nodding. "Though, Klaus has his good points. He's very effective in dealing with our competitors." Katherine smiled. "We owned most of the transport system in America before my father died. He was an intelligent and frightening man, though very quick to anger."

"Your father used to terrify me," Katherine commented.

"He terrified me too," he said. Sometimes, Elijah would see his father in Niklaus when he was mad. He would have to blink twice and remind himself that his father was dead. "So, I made a deal with a very rich man. Giuseppe Salvatore, the father of Damon and Stefan Salvatore. I believe you knew him."

"His son married my cousin and his other son married your sister," she responded. _And his son is my lover._ "He was almost as frightening as your father, and almost as rich. _Almost_."

"He was richer at the time. His business was thriving as ours fell into ruin. He agreed to a contract, but it would have to be bound by marriage. He married his eldest son, Damon, to Rebekah, to ensure that the Mikaelsons would forever be loyal to the Salvatores. We were in debt to him. At each family gathering, he would remind us. The debt grew larger as Giuseppe added interest to it. Mikaelson Transport was improving, though we could never fully repay him. When it was clear he couldn't his money by peaceful conversation, he began to threaten us."

"With what?" Katherine asked, deeply interested in what Elijah was telling her. She had known that there was tension between Mr. Salvatore and the Mikaelson brothers before he died, but she never knew the reason. Even the late Mr. Mikael Mikaelson hadn't gotten on well with Mr. Salvatore. There had always been bad blood between the two families.

"With information," Elijah answered. "He knew something... very damaging. We later discovered that Giuseppe knew of Klaus' true parentage, which none of us had known before. You see, Klaus is not my father's true born child. In fact, he is not my father's child at all. He is my late mother's illegitmate son, born from another man."

Her eyes widened. "What?" No wonder Klaus was so angry all the time. The poor boy had daddy issues.

"His father was a farmer," he said. "One of Giuseppe's maids saw them together and told him. The information could ruin us. I did... I did what I had to to protect my family."

"What did you do?"

"I killed him." Katherine brought her hand to her mouth. She would have expected it from Klaus, but from Elijah... he was _good_. Her husband had killed someone. "I poisoned his wine. Everyone believed that he had choked, but my brother, Finn, was suspicious. He knew of the troubles between our two families and sought to investigate. He knew that Giuseppe Salvatore was poisoned, and then he saw a vial of our mother's favourite poison empty in her cabinet. My mother was fond of poisoning her husband's enemies. She poisoned one of my father's business competitors with a few drops of Sweet Sleep, her favourite poison. Nobody opened her cabinet for years after her death, until I did. My mother didn't use all of the poison, there had been a drop at the end. Finn knew the effects of the poison, and his suspicions were confirmed when he saw the empty vial. And now, he seeks to destroy our family with this information."

Elijah gulped down more wine. Katherine now understood why he was so worried. He could be locked up for _murder_. She couldn't imagine being without him. She _had _to help him. However she could.

She sat on the arm of his chair and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll get through this, Elijah," Katherine assured him. "We won't let Finn destroy your family. Destroy _our _family."

"How?" Elijah asked. "How will we do that? I don't desire to harm him. He is my brother, even though he claims he is not. He was always bitter. Klaus, Kol and I were always closer. Finn believes that we do not love him, and he's angry that he we didn't involve him in the business."

Katherine scoffed. "He's an idiot. That's why you didn't involve him in the business. He's more stupid than Klaus and Kol combined." Elijah chuckled as she rubbed his arm soothingly. "What proof does Finn have anyway?"

"Our mother had two keys to her cabinet," Elijah said. "She gave Finn a key when he became interested in medicine, and I am in possession of the other."

They were screwed. If Finn opened his mouth, the family name would crumble. Elijah wasn't able to play dirty, but Katherine was. She would kill every person in Mystic Falls if it meant keeping her family safe.

She leaned towards him and whispered into his ear. "Then frame _him_. Or anyone."

Elijah jumped away from her, shocked at the suggested. "He is my brother, Katherine."

"Yes, he is," she agreed. "And you are his, but does that matter to him? No. It doesn't. He would see you locked up for the rest of your days. You're an honourable man, Elijah, and I love you for it, but this is not the time for morals. Speak before he does. Hide your key and claim you lost it months ago. Put it in someone's room."

"And let them suffer for it?" Elijah said, disbelieving. "That is cruel, Katherine."

"Better them than us," she told him.

Elijah studied her for a moment. His wife was devious and sometimes cruel, but he had underestimated how far she would go. He shook his head at her suggestion. "No. I will not frame an innocent, nor will I frame my brother. We will act honourably. I have done enough atrocities in my life time, I will not do another."

She stood and threw her arms in the air in exasperation, angry at his stubbornness. "Fine! Let your beloved business fall into pieces! See if I care."

She spun around and stormed out of the room. Elijah groaned. He really didn't need temper tantrums.

* * *

Stefan's strong arm held Elena close to him. Her head was rested on his chest as he played with her curls. She loved Stefan, and she loved their son, Giorgio. He was two years old and the image of Stefan, with his bright green eyes and blonde curls.

Elena moaned happily. "I wish we could stay like this forever."

He smiled. "I do to," Stefan admitted. "But unfortunately, we can't. Damon is becoming more reckless which means I have to do more work."

"It isn't fair," she stated. "Why can't Damon do his own work? I get that he wants you to help out, but he makes you do everything. You manage the household, the accounts, _everything_. And what does he do save for running off with the mystery girl?"

_The mystery girl. _Damon's secret lover that he would never reveal the name of. The whole of Mystic Falls knew that Damon had a secret lover. Few things went unknown in Mystic Falls, and when there was a mystery everyone wanted to solve it.

Stefan sighed. "What would you have me do, Elena? Disown him? Kick him out? He's my brother."

She rolled out of his arms, and propped herself up on their bed with her elbow. "He hasn't been acting like it lately though, has he? He rarely talks to you, and when he does it's because he wants money. All of your business partners hate him or consider him reckless and unworthy of the Salvatore name. He's spending our son's inheritance on what? His mistress? He's certainly not spending it on his wife."

"I know that you two have never gotten along..." Elena groaned. That was a polite way of putting it. "And I know that he can be annoying at times, but he is my brother. No matter what." She tried not to look as angry as she felt, but a sneaky pout found its way onto her face. Stefan caressed her cheek with his thumb. "But I'll limit his spending, if that'll make you happy."

It did. Although it wasn't her main goal – which was getting Damon kicked out – it was a good compromise. Elena smiled at him. "It does." She kissed him on his forehead. "You and Giorgio are the most important people in this world to me. I just want you both to be happy."

"I am," Stefan told her, with such love in his eyes that Elena could drown in them. "And with a mother like you, Giorgio won't know what sadness is."

"Of course he'll know what sadness is eventually," Elena said softly. "Nobody can escape it. But it's our duty to delay it."

Stefan smiled. "And we will. Giorgio has a mother that loves him and a father who would die for him. That's more than I had."

His mother had died when Stefan was younger, and his father was a very busy man, what with his business and the women he often took to his bed. Giovanni Salvatore never had much time for his sons, although it was clear that he preferred Stefan. Who wouldn't? Stefan was kind, and honourable, and loving.

"And you have a son that cherishes and adores you," Elena replied, smiling brightly at him. "And a wife who loves you so, so much."

His eyes shone with happiness as he tackled her onto the bed. Elena giggled while kissing her husband passionately, wrapping her slim legs around his torso. He left a trail of kisses from her neck to her lower stomach, and then looked up at her, smiling cheekily.

"Ma'am, it's time for breakfast - oh!" Her maid, Bonnie, walked in on them, holding a basin of water in her hands. She turned around when she noticed Stefan, placing the basin on a chair by the door. "I'm so sorry. Should I come back?"

Elena shot Stefan a sorrowful look that clearly said that their activities were over. Stefan groaned quietly, but complied none the less. He got out of Elena's bed and dressed. Despite being married, they had separate bedrooms. It was improper for a man and a woman to have the same quarters, but Stefan practically lived in Elena's room. It was his room too in all but name.

"I'll see you at breakfast," he told Elena, and gave a nod to Bonnie before leaving.

As soon as he had left, Bonnie began apologising. "I should have knocked, I-"

"You never knock, Bonnie," Elena said, with a small, reassuring smile. "And you don't have to. Without your wake up calls Stefan and I wouldn't get out of the bed for decades."

Bonnie smiled, and Elena began undressing. She was comfortable being naked around Bonnie, because she had known Bonnie her entire life. She was more of a friend than a maid. A friend that washed her and tied her corsets and cleaned her room. Elena tried to lessen her work load. She tidied her room whenever she could, although she couldn't make the bed. It was a complex art that Elena hadn't mastered yet.

Another art that Elena hadn't mastered was the lacing of a corset. Even the corsets with the lace at the front were impossible.

Once Bonnie was finished dressing her and doing her hair, Elena went downstairs for breakfast. Stefan stood when she entered, while Damon stayed sitting. It was customary for the men at the table to stand when a lady entered the room, but Damon never did.

Beside Damon sat his wife, the prim, proper and incredibly rich Rebekah Salvatore (née Mikaelson). Her arranged marriage didn't turn out nearly as well as Elena's did. Damon was known for his philandering, though lately his philandering was limited to one woman. The mystery woman that everyone in Mystic Falls was dying to know the name of.

Elena sat beside Stefan and began eating. One of the serving boys – Matt, if Elena remembered correctly – filled the fruit bowl with apples, oranges, bananas and the like. She caught him glancing towards Rebekah, and Elena didn't miss the look that Rebekah sent back.

_I suppose Damon isn't the only one with a bit on the side.  
_  
When they were all finished their breakfast, Stefan decided to speak about the important matter of Damon's spending.

"It's got to stop, Damon," Stefan told him sternly. "You'll be given a certain amount of money per month and you're access to our funds will be cut off."

Shock was the first expression to cross Damon's face. And then anger. "You can't do that," he replied, seething. "_I'm _the eldest son. _I'm _the one on Father's will."

"Yes, you are," Stefan said. "But then you left the management of Father's business to me and signed it over. Now I'm the owner. The amount you'll be given will be generous, Damon. Any _normal _person could live on it. You'll just have to stop spending your money on, uh, _less important things_."

By less important things, Elena knew that he meant Damon's secret lover. This angered Damon even more. "_She _has something to do with this, hasn't she?" Damon bellowed, pointing at Elena. "Your _perfect _wife. I swear to God, Stefan. You'll regret this. You'll _both _regret that."

He pushed his chair back, the screeching noise echoing through the room, and stormed off like a petulant child.

"Well, that was dramatic." Though she seemed ridiculously happy, Rebekah rolled her eyes. "God. Of all the men I could have married."

She left the room too, then, though less violently than Damon had.

Stefan held his head in his hands, his elbows on the table and propping him up. "What's wrong with this family?"

* * *

Anna Wilson smiled as she placed her hand on her stomach, where her first child was growing. Her wedding to Jeremy Gilbert was in a few more days, so it wasn't as if her pregnancy was going to be a scandal. She may not have earned her white gown, but she was going to look beautiful in it nonetheless.

She knocked on the door of the Gilbert house. Jeremy was the only person there since his parents were on a business trip. They would be back in time for the wedding, though. They promised they would be.

The butler, Simon, answered the door and told her that Jeremy was in his room. But when Anna knocked on his door, there was no answer.

"Jeremy?" she called, continuing to knock. No answer. "Jeremy?"

She opened the door to his room then, and walked inside. The only sound she heard was the creaking of the door behind her. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, and it wasn't just sickness from the child in her belly.

Anna screamed when she opened the door to his bathroom.

Jeremy was lying on the ground, blood pouring from a stab wound in his stomach.

He was dead.

* * *

_**Author's Note: **__Six months since I posted this story! I'm sorry! Hope you liked this chapter though. Kennett will be in the next chapter or the one after that._

_So who killed Jeremy? Don don don!_

_Still not too sure on the pairings. Mabekah has become an official pairing. Any others you'd like me to add?_

_Review, follow, favourite!_


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